Monument record MDO6514 - Prison/Young offenders institution, Grove, Portland

Portland prison established as a temporary prison in 1848 to provide convict labour for the construction of the breakwater in Portland Harbour. Made permanent in 1869. The convict prison was moved to the Verne in 1920-21 and the prison was reopened as a borstal.

Known as Portland Prison, H. M. Borstal, Portland, and now H.M young Offender's Institution. The first convicts were brought here in 1848 to quarry stone for the Portland Breakwater. The gatehouse of 1848 and boundary wall are the earliest surviving structures. The Governor's house has been substantially altered, but was built in the 1850s. To the N of the prison buildings is a quarry area , converted into a recreation ground, surrounded by a stone wall with sentry boxes of around 1848. <1>

The Young Offender Institution is situated at Grove on the east side of the Isle of Portland. A convict prison was established between 1848 and 1850. A proposed plan of 1847 shows two parallel accommodation wings and a central block containing the kitchen and offices. Other buildings include the entrance and offices, chapel and infirmary. The actual plan is similar to the proposed one, although only the western accommodation block had been built. The block was constructed of timber with stone walls at the gable ends and in the centre. The prison was enlarged during the 1850s by the addition of the eastern cell block and extension to the western block. The infirmary was enlarged and refectory cells, bath and reception erected. Extensive repairs to the accommodation blocks were undertaken in 1876-7. Between 1896 and 1908 a total of five accommodation blocks were rebuilt. In 1921 Portland was converted to a borstal. Refurbishment work was begun in the late 1920s and continued into the 1930s. Since the 1920s a number of changes have taken place to the layout of the main prison. This includes a modern gatehouse, administration block and a modern kitchen and dining block. Two Y-plan accommodation blocks were added in 1968 and 1974. In 1983 the borstal became a Youth Custody Centre and since 1988 it has been a Young Offender Institution for 17 to 21 year olds. The certified normal accommodation in 1995 was 424. A number of buildings connected with the prison were erected outside its perimeter along Grove Road. They included accommodation for senior officers a church and school.

Substantial wall footings revealed during construction of new care and custody unit. These footings were about 1m thick and c. 1.2m below present ground level. They were constructed from mortared limestone blocks (measuring 0.35 x 0.35 x 0.55 m. These building materials are identical to the original prison buildings. Identified as former prison building, l-shaped with two storeys, built 1896-1908. Probably demolished during the 1960s-1970s. <3>

<1> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 2, 253 (Monograph). SDO149.

‘(10) H. M. BORSTAL formerly PORTLAND PRISON (699726). The first convicts were brought here in 1848 to quarry stone for the Portland Breakwater. The gatehouse of 1848 and boundary wall are the earliest surviving structures; the Governor’s House, though much altered, is a building of the eighteen-fifties; all the cell blocks have been rebuilt in the present century. (R. G. Alford, Notes of Buildings of English Prisons, V (1910)).)

The two-storey gatehouse is of coursed rubble with vermiculated quoins, a simple moulded cornice and a parapet; in the centre is a slight projection in which a segmental-headed archway with moulded imposts and above the parapet is an achievement of the royal arms dated 1848.

N. of the prison building is a quarry area, now converted to a recreation ground, surrounded by a stone wall with sentry-boxes of c. 1848.’

<2> Morris, S, 1985 , Portland, An Illustrated History. , 73 (Monograph). SWX8084.

<3> Bellamy, P, 2002, New Care and Custody unit, HMYOI Portland, Easton, Portland, Dorset: Archaeological Observations, Jan 2002. (Unpublished document). SWX8593.

<4> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BF090954 (Index). SDO14738.

HMYOI PORTLAND, THE GROVE, PORTLAND

<5> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BF107982 (Index). SDO14738.

Miscellaneous photographs from Prisons Project. Contains photographs of plans and engravings of prisons and photographs of exhibitions promoting project.

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1127111 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 30 2024 10:54AM